Atlas, Fulham

A side-street pub which has developed a fine reputation for food and is a classic pub for showing us what major London brewers, Truman’s, were up to in the 1930s. The building itself is Victorian but the fittings are a surprisingly complete array from the inter-war refit which provided two distinct rooms, the evidence of which is still apparent today with the public bar (named on the door) at the front. The room separation is most obvious in the remains of a screen, the glazed top of which survives. Then you will see that the bar counter is treated differently – at the front it is match-boarded and at the back (the plusher end) it has horizontal Art Deco panelling with a rounded corner. The bar-backs, however, are similar and there is also a black-and-white tiled spittoon trough.

Also from the 1930s are the fixed seating and three brick fire surrounds each with a small terracotta relief – a galleon, a hunting scene and a frisky stag. There is wall panelling in the rear area with advertisements for Truman’s wares and a promotional mirror over one of the fireplaces. The counter fronts have doors, a feature of many a London pub in times past, to allow servicing of the beer engines.